


Put A Ring On It

by la_muerta



Series: The Universe Is Conspiring Against Us [2]
Category: Shadowhunters (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Human, Alternate Universe - Lawyers, Barebacking, Butt Plugs, Established Relationship, F/M, Fluff, Fluff and Smut, Humor, Lawyer Alec Lightwood, Lawyer Magnus Bane, Light Bondage, M/M, Marriage Proposal, Mirror Sex, Overstimulation, Porn With Plot, Porn with Feelings, Semi-Public Sex, Shameless Smut
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-11-21
Updated: 2017-11-30
Packaged: 2019-02-05 04:24:20
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 14,663
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12786903
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/la_muerta/pseuds/la_muerta
Summary: Fast forward to two years later. They are down to their last three "first date" cards, and Alec is almost certain that they are ready to take the next step in their relationship... the marriage step.Unfortunately, as always, the universe has other ideas.





	1. Chapter 1

 

 

It had been a horrible day for Alec, and it wasn't even lunchtime. He was back in his old apartment because Magnus was away on business in Los Angeles and he didn't like to sleep alone at Magnus' place, and that was already putting him in a grouchy mood. Magnus was only supposed to stay one night in L.A., but last night he'd messaged Alec to tell him the flights home were fully booked and he would probably have to stay one more day, which sucked.

And things had just gotten worse from there. He'd discovered his coffee machine in his apartment no longer worked because Izzy had probably broken it, then forgotten to tell him - and he knew it was definitely Izzy because she'd left the grounds in for god knows how long and everything was now mouldy. 

So he'd had to wait in the ridiculously long line at the coffee place near the office for his coffee, which had then made him late for his meeting with an extremely annoying, fussy client named Aldous Nix. Mr Nix had spent half an hour ranting about the young people these days not knowing the importance of punctuality and making a good impression, because of course Alec _had_ had to spill some coffee on his light grey suit. And the lecture had made him late for his _next_ meeting, and so on. In fact, from the looks of it, Alec wasn't even going to have time for lunch today. 

It should have been a happy problem, being so busy. It meant he was in demand, it meant he was getting cases that stimulated his mind, it meant that Ragnor really trusted him and thought well of him. But Magnus was having the same "happy problem" of always being too busy, so for the past couple of months the only time they had spent together was the time between waking up and reaching the office, if both of them happened to be in New York at the same time. It wasn't unusual for both of them to be working past midnight, and neither even had weekends off anymore. In fact, they still had three of Alec’s "first date" cards left, and no opportunity to use them at all. 

After working through lunch, Alec had to rush to the courthouse to file some documents, and he had left his car parked at the curb like he sometimes did when he was really in a hurry, and of course today he'd gotten a ticket for it. And to top everything off, when he'd gone to pick up a pizza for dinner before heading back to the office - his first meal of the day, actually - he'd already settled down at his desk to eat when he realised he'd taken someone else's order instead, and that someone had ordered pineapple on their pizza. Alec obviously had the shittiest luck in the world, and this was the longest day in existence. 

If Magnus had been around, he'd have picked all the pineapple off like a 5-year-old and foisted them all on Magnus, who didn't mind pineapple on his pizza. As it was, Alec hated to waste food, so he was going to have to man up and power through the pineapple. And the long day was only getting longer when Alec remembered that he wouldn't get to see Magnus until tomorrow. Fuck. Maybe it was a good thing that he was feeling so tired - he'd probably be able to drop right off to sleep instead of tossing and turning in bed like he had been doing last night, feeling completely ill at ease without the familiar warmth of Magnus curled up next to him. 

"Pizza for dinner? I'm guessing it's been a bad day," someone behind him said.

"Magnus!" Alec said, and he couldn't help the sappy grin that spread across his face. "I thought you said you couldn't get a flight back in time." 

"I went to the airport anyway on a hunch and got lucky - someone cancelled," Magnus explained. "I missed you so much, Alexander."

"Me too," Alec said with feeling, and quickly got up to kiss him. 

Magnus must have been exhausted - he certainly looked a little travel-rumpled and worn out, even if he still made an impressive and very attractive figure in his three-piece dark grey suit. And yet, after dropping off his luggage at home, he'd come straight back to the office - because he hadn't been able to wait to see Alec. Alec was wrong, today wasn't horrible at all, and he was obviously the luckiest man in the world. 

"Want to come into my office so we can chat over dinner, and you can pass all the pineapple to me?" Magnus teased, before adding conversationally, "Besides, I've heard that eating pineapple makes your semen taste sweeter."

Alec nearly dropped his laptop.

 

 

By the time the pizza was gone and Alec had finally finished the notes he'd needed to compile for the next day, it _was_ already the next day. Alec sighed and slumped backwards in his chair. Magnus hummed sympathetically and moved behind him to knead his shoulders. 

"Hey, you don't need to do that for me. You must be tired too," Alec protested. 

"Oh, but I have entirely selfish reasons. I'm buttering you up," Magnus replied. 

Alec turned his head and raised an eyebrow questioningly, but Magnus just smirked and started kissing the back of his neck. Alec leaned further back to give Magnus better access to his throat. 

"There's no one around. Do you want to do the thing we talked about?" Magnus asked, nibbling at his earlobe. 

Alec hesitated. It was almost one in the morning. He knew that they were practically alone in the office now. There might be a couple of stragglers, and the cleaning staff would be making their rounds, but other than that the risk of getting caught was quite low. There were no security cameras either. So what was there to prevent them from having a bit of fun? 

"Yeah, ok."

"Clothes off, love. Everything," Magnus whispered, and began tugging at Alec's tie. Between the two of them, they made short work of Alec's clothes. Alec shivered. It was pretty cold in Magnus' office. 

But thoughts of that soon out of the window when Magnus went down on his knees still dressed in his fancy three-piece suit, and started mouthing teasingly at Alec’s balls. Then he slowly moved his way to the base of Alec's cock, and started running his tongue along the underside of Alec's cock. By the time he finally closed his mouth over the head of Alec's cock, Alec had to brace himself against the edge of the desk. Magnus kept eye contact with Alec as he slowly slid his mouth down, lips stretching sinfully around the width, and kept going until Alec's cock was pressed against the back of his throat. Then he swallowed, throat constricting around Alec’s cock, and moaned when Alec's hips jerked forward involuntarily. 

"Oh my god," Alec groaned and threw his head back, squeezing his eyes shut and trying to calculate his billable hours in his head before he accidentally blew his load down Magnus' throat. 

Magnus pulled back a bit, then slid back down again, and Alec fought the urge to move his hips with every ounce of willpower in his body while the slick, wet sound of Magnus taking Alec deep inside his throat filled the office space. Then suddenly Magnus pulled off completely, and between his gasping breaths Alec heard the sound of a foil wrapper being torn open. He opened his eyes and looked down just in time to see Magnus place a condom between his lips and slowly roll it down Alec’s length using his mouth. Alec frowned in confusion. That had been really hot, but they'd never used a condom between them before. 

"So that you don't make a mess on the carpet when you come, darling, otherwise I'm going to have a stain that's going to be really hard to explain," Magnus said with a grin, his voice sex-rough. 

Alec was now wearing nothing but a condom on his cock. Magnus, on the other hand, was fully clothed and hadn't done so much as loosen his tie. 

Magnus turned Alec around and gently pushed him over his desk. 

"Spread it for me," Magnus said, and Alec frowned as he tried his best to plant his legs further apart. "No, I didn't mean that, darling. I meant spread your ass, with your hands."

Alec gulped and blushed but complied, using both hands to spread himself so that his entrance was exposed. He could feel it fluttering in the chill of the air-conditioned office. 

Magnus hummed in satisfaction, then Alec heard the sound of a bottle cap opening, and hissed when Magnus drizzled some cold lube right on his entrance. Then Magnus pressed a finger to his rim and started circling it, sliding over it so gently that the tip of his finger barely pressed in, and Alec forgot to complain about the cold lube. 

They did this often enough that Alec knew to keep relaxed, and pretty soon Magnus was scissoring him open with two fingers, then sliding three in with light teasing nudges at his prostate. 

"Ready for me?"

Alec nodded, worrying his bottom lip. 

"Keep your hands where they are," Magnus reminded Alec, then Alec heard Magnus unzipping his fly, and immediately felt the blunt head of Magnus' cock pressing at his entrance. He bit down hard on his bottom lip, trying not to make a sound while Magnus slowly worked his way into Alec's body while Alec held himself open. 

"You feel fantastic, Alexander," Magnus whispered when he was all the way in, and Alec pressed back against him in response, but Magnus didn't move. 

"Magnus-" Alec started, voice strained. 

"Hush, darling. All in good time."

Alec chanced a glance over his shoulder, and saw that Magnus was undoing the red silk tie at his throat. His breath caught when Magnus then grabbed both Alec's wrists and started winding his tie around them, the silk still warm from Magnus' body heat. And it was only when Magnus had bound his arms firmly behind his back that he began to thrust forward. 

The walls of Magnus' office were frosted glass, but the door was plain, clear glass. Anybody could walk past now and see Alec bent over his boyfriend's desk, stark naked, with his arms tied behind his back as Magnus fucked into him leisurely.

"More, Magnus, please," Alec groaned as he tried to push backwards. "You know how I feel about slow."

"If you want more, then you're going to have to keep very quiet. Unless you want someone to see you all spread out and taking my cock - I must say it's a lovely sight, and I'm a very lucky man."

Alec nodded and bit down harder on his bottom lip when Magnus began to drive into him more forcefully. 

The heat radiating from Magnus' body was such a sharp contrast to the chill of the office, and the sensations from Magnus sliding into his body was setting all his nerve-endings on fire. Magnus had him positioned such that his cock was too far away from the edge of the desk for Alec to get any sort of friction or pressure on his cock, and his feet were planted too wide for him to rock back on Magnus as hard as he would prefer. Instead, all he could do was lie there and take whatever Magnus was giving him. 

Then Magnus finally found the right angle to press the head of his cock against the sweet bundle of nerves inside Alec, and he barely managed to stifle his keening whine as his back arched from the pleasure. 

"Right _there_ \- fuck, Magnus!"

Magnus hands gripped Alec by the hips as he picked up the pace, keeping Alec in place while he slammed hard into him. 

"Magnus, I- mmfph," Alec whimpered, desperately trying to keep quiet while Magnus battered his prostate with every thrust. 

"I'm close," Magnus panted. "Come on, love."

Alec pushed himself back onto Magnus' cock as their rhythm started falling apart, and finally came shuddering into the condom with a muffled cry. Magnus fucked him hard through his orgasm and kept it up until Alec thought he was going to start screaming from the overstimulation, then Magnus finally gasped and leaned over Alec's back as he came inside him. 

As soon as Magnus recovered, he lifted himself off Alec and slowly pulled out of Alec's body. 

"Looks like we've still made a bit of a mess after all," Magnus murmured. "Luckily, I came prepared."

Alec only had enough time to make a fuzzy confused sound before he was jerking forwards against the desk. Magnus was sliding something inside him, not big enough to be a dildo - more like a stopper. 

"What's...?" 

"Butt plug," Magnus explained, still sounding quite winded. "That way you don't have to worry about staining your clothes on the way home."

"Fuck," Alec groaned, his hips canting forward at the thought of having the toy keeping Magnus' release inside him all the way home. 

"Are you alright, Alexander?" Magnus asked, quickly untying his arms and massaging them to get the blood flowing. "Was that too much?" 

"No, it was perfect. You're perfect," Alec said as Magnus held out his shirt for him. 

"Always glad to help you fulfil your fantasies. Was it everything you imagined it to be?"

"Nothing I could imagine could ever compare to the reality of you," Alec smiled, and tried to keep kissing Magnus while he pulled up his trousers, the plug jarring his sensitive entrance as he struggled with them, sending a jolt of arousal through his body. "And now I need us to get home as soon as possible so you can fuck me again."

Magnus grinned mischievously. "Your wish is my command. Happy second anniversary to us."

Alec looked at the amazing man before him, obviously exhausted from what must have been a really long day (and a frankly incredible round of sex), smiling so delightedly at him, and he was struck by the realisation that he wanted to make Magnus smile like that every day for the rest of his life. He wanted to marry him. 

"Happy second anniversary," Alec agreed, and kissed Magnus again. 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So this happened mainly because I felt we had unfinished business from the previous fic - namely that they hadn't had a chance to have desk sex. #SorryNotSorry
> 
> Also, I wanted to write something wedding/proposal related, but there was too much emotional baggage going on in my other fics.
> 
> So here we go, guys. Welcome to another comedy of errors!


	2. Chapter 2

 

 

With his mind made up, the first thing Alec did the next day, once he had a chance to talk without being overheard, was to call Clary. He didn't speak much to her even when they all hung out together, but she'd been dating Jace for forever, so he actually had her number saved in his phone for Jace-related emergencies. 

"Alec," she said in surprise when she picked up her phone, then immediately sounded worried. "What happened? Is Jace ok?"

"Um. Actually, this isn't about Jace," Alec shuffled uncomfortably. "I need your help."

" _My_ help?" 

"See, I need to get a ring, but I want it to be a unique design..."

"A ring?" Clary gasped at the other end of the line. "Are you planning to propose to Magnus?!" she shrieked in excitement, and Alec winced. 

"You can't tell Jace, alright?" he said worriedly. 

"Don't worry, I can keep a secret," she assured him. "I know as well as you do that once Jace has enough tequila in him he'd spill every secret he ever knew. But I'm so excited for you, Alec! I'm not really a jewellery designer, but I know just the guy for the job."

"Great," Alec said in relief. 

"You'll be in good hands. Gwyn is incredibly talented, his designs are always so beautiful and full of character," Clary gushed. 

"How soon can I meet him?"

"Wow, I've never heard you sound this nervous," Clary laughed. "I'll give you his number, just say I recommended him to you."

Gwyn turned out to be a soft-spoken man, with a gentle Welsh lilt to his speech, and asked many thoughtful questions about what Alec was looking for in the ring design. They arranged for Alec to email Gwyn some photos of Magnus, and to meet up in person once Gwyn had a few draft designs ready. 

By the time he got off the phone with Gwyn, Alec had also decided exactly where to stage his proposal. They had three "first date" cards left, two blank ones and one where Alec had written Central Park Zoo. Alec liked the idea of proposing on the last date - to signify the end of their dating phase and mark the new chapter in their lives together, and the obvious choice was Central Park Zoo. He remembered there being a beautiful pergola with a skylight roof that could be decorated with balloons and flowers with some help from family and friends, and they could even get a horse-drawn carriage. And Magnus would never expect a proposal in a zoo, so he would be properly surprised. 

It made him feel a bit bad about wanting to rush through the other two cards, but he couldn't wait to pop the question to Magnus. Now he had extra motivation for wanting to get down to that last "first date" card, and he was going to make those dates happen despite their insane schedules, by hook or by crook. 

 

 

He finally had the opportunity two weeks later. They both had work to do, but no meetings outside the office. So Alec knocked on the door to Magnus' office. 

"Alexander," Magnus looked up in surprise. "To what do I owe the pleasure?" 

Alec held up one of the "first date" cards. "I was thinking... The weather is pretty good today. I know it's a work day, but perhaps we could bring our laptops out and go for a walk, then do our work somewhere else instead? I know you've been meaning to try out that new cafe, the one with the blue awning."

"Are you asking me out on a working date?" Magnus grinned.

"Well, we've never done that one before," Alec said. "But if you want to save the cards for something more special, we could do that too."

"No, it's fine. I don't mind," Magnus stood up and pecked Alec on the lips. "A working date it is."

It was actually really nice to go out and get some sun. Lately, Alec had been trapped inside meetings and the office from sunrise till sundown, and he hadn't realised how much he missed being out in the sun. Magnus had one arm linked with his, and even if they were only going a few blocks away, he really had missed spending time alone with Magnus. 

The cafe was quiet, since it was a weekday afternoon. They got an alfresco table, put in their coffee orders and got some cakes and pastries to share. And even if they both had their laptops open working on their own cases in comfortable silence, it was nice. 

"I wish the weather in New York was always like this," Magnus commented. "Imagine never having to deal with snow and hail during winter! The weather on the West Coast is so much more appealling." 

"Last winter you told me you loved winter because you could wear more layers, and you were talking about buying a hot tub for your balcony last month," Alec pointed out. 

"That was _then_ ," Magnus said. Then, apropos to nothing, Magnus suddenly said, "I'm thinking about moving to L.A."

"What?" Alec sputtered, choking on his latte. 

"When I was in L.A., the boss of Queen LLP requested to meet me. They've offered me a position there," Magnus admitted. 

"Two weeks ago? This happened two weeks ago and you're only mentioning it now?" Alec asked, starting to feel a bit angry. 

"Well, two weeks ago I wasn't sure yet."

"But you're sure now. Is that what you're saying?"

Magnus sighed and fidgeted with his rings. "This is a big opportunity for me, alright? Queen LLP is the biggest firm in L.A., and they are offering me senior partner right off the bat. I still can't believe they weren't joking, to be honest, but they sent me an email today reminding me to respond to their offer."

"But Ragnor is your best friend!" Alec said. And he wanted to add _what about me?_ , but couldn't bring himself to do it. 

Magnus, of course, read it on his face. "Yes, Ragnor is my best friend, which is precisely why he'd be happy if I'm successful in my career. And, well, I was hoping you'd come along with me."

"To L.A.?" 

"I asked, actually. If they'd take you on, too," Magnus admitted. 

"Magnus, you can't make these decisions for me," Alec said through gritted teeth. "I don't want move to L.A. and I am perfectly happy at Fell & Idris."

"I'm not deciding anything for you. It's just another option available to us, alright?" 

"Well, you certainly sound like you've made the decision for yourself, at least," Alec said bitterly. 

"I haven't agreed to anything yet. Never mind, we'll talk about it some other time,"  Magnus said a little stiffly. 

"No - let's do this right now," Alec bit out. "A decision like that affects the both of us. If you move to L.A. and I don't, what does it mean for our relationship? Indefinite long-distance? Are you breaking up with me?"

"No! Of course I'm not breaking up with you!" Magnus said, shocked. "Alexander, you're the best thing that's happened to me. If I had to choose between a job and you, there'd be no contest at all."

Alec didn't meet his eyes. "But if you refused this offer now, would you resent me in future? Do you think I'm holding you back?" 

"Alexander, I won't deny that I'd prefer if we could go to L.A. together, and that's because I think it's a great opportunity for both of us and not just to further my own career. But this is New York - it'd be silly to say there aren't plenty of similar opportunities here. You're a smart and talented man, and I'm no slouch myself. We're a powerhouse together - I'm not worried about the future of our careers," Magnus reached out to take Alec’s hand. "I know I dropped this on you very suddenly. Just promise me you'll at least give it some thought instead of just saying 'no' on instinct."

"I- ok. Fair enough," Alec conceded. 

"Believe me, whatever decision you make, it doesn't change anything between us. Alright?"

Alec nodded, but the mood was ruined. After they finished their food and drinks, Alec suggested that they made their way back to the office with the excuse that he needed to make some calls, and he went back with a heavy heart. The excitement he'd felt this morning when he'd seen the draft designs Gwyn had emailed him had twisted into something sour and gloomy inside his gut. 

 

 

Magnus knew he'd fucked up. It wasn't just that he'd ruined their date, but also that he should have known better than to drop the news like a bombshell on Alec like that. Alec was, generally, not someone who responded well to big changes or big surprises. 

Alec wasn't home yet, so Magnus risked taking out the box hidden in plain sight amongst his other jewellery boxes. He opened the box and stared down at the ring inside it. 

He'd seen it by chance while walking by a jewellery shop in L.A., and something about it had immediately made him think of Alec. It was a platinum and black titanium band set with a square diamond. It was simple, understated, and masculine, and because Alec had mentioned that his childhood ambition had been to become an astronaut, buying him a ring made partly from rocket-building materials had just seemed appropriate.

He should have known, of course, that Alec would be resistant to the idea of moving to L.A. Unlike Magnus, who had no family and tended to hop from city to city every few years, Alec had grown up in New York, and had never left except to go to college. He had just gotten so caught up in the idea - new city, new environment, to match the new chapter in his life with Alec by his side. It was a big opportunity for Magnus, but relationships were all about compromise, right? And he would be disappointed, sure, but he hadn't been lying about being confident about having other opportunities in future, even if it might take a little while longer for something like that to come along. Or perhaps Alec would be a little more amenable to the idea when he knew Magnus was thinking of making a solid commitment to their relationship - that they wouldn't just be moving to L.A. as boyfriends, but as _husbands_. 

He would propose on the last of their "first dates", Magnus decided - it just made sense. They only had two left now, so all he had to do was get the Central Park Zoo one out of the way, and plan the ultimate romantic proposal for the last blank card. With that decided, Magnus pulled out his phone and started Googling for ideas. 


	3. Chapter 3

 

Magnus was careful not to push Alec for an answer, knowing that he needed a bit of time to process everything. He certainly seemed very distracted, and Magnus hoped he wasn't still upset. 

A couple of days later, when he was driving home alone from the office, he came up with an idea - they could go on their second-last "first date". Hopefully it would cheer them both up and make up for the crappy working date, and Magnus would be one step closer to the last date card. And if Magnus had to push back a few meetings to make it work, he would make it work.

When he got home, he found Alec sitting on the couch with the television on, but Alec wasn't paying attention to anything going on on the screen at all. Alec was looking at his phone with a smile on his face, which was odd because Magnus thought that was what people usually did when their significant others texted them, and Magnus was right here. 

"Alexander?"

Alec looked up in surprise, and looked a bit guilty when he turned the screen of his phone off. "Hey," he said, sounding flustered. 

Magnus raised an eyebrow. "What was that you were looking at? You were smiling at your phone."

"Um... cat videos. Simon sent them to me."

Well, that was a lie if Magnus had ever heard one. Because as far as he knew, Simon would not voluntarily text Alec unless it was a life-or-death situation because he was still mildly terrified that Alec was going to decide he wasn't good enough for Izzy and punch him. 

"Really? I like cat videos," Magnus said. 

"Oh, they weren't actually very funny. I've already deleted the message," Alec said. 

Magnus shrugged and decided to drop it. Perhaps Alec had discovered amusement in something he found embarrassing, although Magnus couldn't think of anything Alec might find embarrassing enough that he didn't dare share it with Magnus. They were long past that stage in a relationship where they were still trying to make a good impression on each other. After all, it didn't get more embarrassing than snoring and drooling in your sleep and a tendency to get really horrifyingly gassy after eating burritos. 

"I thought I'd ask you if you wanted to use our second-last 'first date' card tomorrow, since we're both between cases and could probably spare a day away from the office," Magnus said. 

"But don't you have that meeting with...?"

"Oh, it's been postponed."

Alec brightened up immediately. "Sure. Where do you have in mind?" 

"Actually, I was thinking of using that Central Park Zoo card."

An expression of panic crossed Alec's face. "What? But why?" 

Magnus frowned in confusion. "It was one of your original cards, the ones you wrote. Are you saying that you don't actually want to go there?" 

"Um. Not that I don't want to go there, but... I thought you might want to use the blank card, since you're initiating this date," Alec said. 

"Nah, the Zoo is a great idea. I've never actually been there, you know, and I've been in New York for seven years."

A pained expression crossed Alec's face. 

"Alexander, are you ok?" Magnus asked, concerned. "If you're not feeling well we could go to the Zoo another day."

"Fine, I'm fine," Alec insisted. 

"We're supposed to have good weather tomorrow. Fingers crossed," Magnus smiled, though Alec's less-than-enthusiastic response to a place _Alec_ had suggested was throwing him off a little. It didn't make any sense at all.

 

 

The Zoo wasn't very big, but it did have a decent variety of animals. Magnus felt a bit like a kid again, and while Alec still seemed a little nervous and kept trying to surreptitiously type out messages to someone, he gradually seemed to relax a bit. 

They signed up for breakfast with the penguins, watched the sea lions being fed, laughed at the antics of the monkeys and ate too much ice cream. It was great, although Alec did look a little wistful when they passed a picturesque pergola with a skylight roof and climbing vines on the support beams. 

They were on their way out of the Zoo, walking past the administrative building, when someone called out to Alec. 

"I didn't know you were coming over today!" the blonde said, smiling. 

"Yeah, about that - I sent you some messages last night, and this morning..." Alec said, trying to communicate something wordlessly to her. 

"Oh, shucks, I'm so sorry. My phone has gone completely crazy recently and sometimes I don't get my messages," she said apologetically. She smiled at Magnus. "Is this your planner?" 

"Planner?" Magnus echoed in confusion. 

"For the pr-"

"No!" Alec practically yelled in a panic. "Um, this is my boyfriend, Magnus. Magnus, this is Lydia."

"Oh! I'm so sorry about that. Hello, it's so nice to finally meet you!" Lydia said, offering her hand to Magnus for a handshake, though she shot a puzzled look at Alec. 

"How do you know Alec?" Magnus asked politely. 

"I'm the events manager for Central Park Zoo," Lydia explained. 

"And you're planning an event with Alec?" Magnus asked. 

"Um... yeah. A birthday party. For Jace," Alec stuttered. Lydia nodded along unconvincingly. 

"For Jace?!" Magnus laughed. "I know your brother behaves like a 5-year-old sometimes  but I thought he'd have outgrown birthday parties at the Zoo by now."

"It's for the... uh, nostalgia," Alec said. 

"Ok, I guess you know your brother best," Magnus said dubiously. 

"I'll get in touch with you again, ok?" Alec told Lydia, sounding a little desperate to get away. 

And as they made their way out of the Zoo, Magnus reflected that for a lawyer and a pretty smart guy, Alec was a really terrible liar. 

 

 

Magnus knew for sure that Alec wasn't cheating on him. Even if none of Magnus' previous romantic partners had made him feel that he inspired this level of devotion, for some reason, beautiful, brilliant Alec had decided that Magnus did, and he demonstrated it to Magnus in his words and actions every day.

So what could Alec be hiding from him? Was he in some sort of trouble and didn't want Magnus to worry? Or perhaps Izzy or Jace were in trouble and Alec, as usual, was trying to shoulder the burden on his own. That seemed more in character, and maybe that would explain his reluctance to even consider moving to L.A. - maybe he was worried about leaving them alone here in New York. Although what sort of trouble would involve events at the Zoo was far beyond him.

Whatever it was, it certainly seemed to be making Alec very stressed out, and Magnus hated seeing Alec like that. And if Alec was too stubborn to open his mouth and ask Magnus for help, Magnus would just have to figure it out on his own. 

The opportunity to find out what Alec was up to came by chance one afternoon, when Magnus was just heading back to the office from a meeting, and spotted Alec sitting opposite a freaking hulk of a man. Magnus quickly parked his car round the corner and doubled back to where they were sitting in a café. Magnus couldn't see Alec’s face, but his shoulders looked tense and the guy opposite him was stern and unsmiling, and looked plenty intimidating in dark glasses and a black suit. He even had one of those metal briefcases you saw the mafia or secret service agents carrying in the movies. 

Whoever he was, it seemed his business with Alec was almost done. They rose from their seats and shook hands, and Magnus ducked behind a bush when Alec started turning around. By the time he peeked out again, Alec was already walking away, and the huge guy was coming towards him. Magnus hung back and waited for him to pass, then followed him until the man took a shortcut through a small park. 

"Who are you, and what business do you have with Alec Lightwood?" Magnus demanded. 

The man startled and turned around. "Mr Bane," the man said in surprise. 

Magnus frowned but didn't otherwise show that he had been rattled that the man knew who he was on sight. "You might be bigger than me, but don't think I'll hesitate to beat you up if you have any ill intentions towards Alec," Magnus said warningly. "I know you're the reason why Alec's been behaving strangely these past few weeks."

"I don't want trouble, Mr Bane," he replied in a deep booming voice. 

"Then tell me what you want with Alec."

"You might not like the answer," he replied. 

"Try me," Magnus replied grimly. 

"My name is Gwyn, and I'm a jeweller. Alec commissioned me to design a ring - for you."

Magnus gaped at the man in shock. Alec had gotten someone to design a ring for him. That could only mean that Alec was planning to propose to him, too. 

Suddenly, everything made sense. Alec's reaction to Magnus wanting to use the Zoo card, his odd behaviour at the Zoo with Lydia, Alec being secretive and a bundle of nerves all the time. He must have planned to propose at the Zoo on their last "first date", and Magnus had completely messed that up for him. 

"Oh my god. I've been such an idiot! How did I not see it?" Magnus muttered. 

Gwyn watched him in amusement. "Do you want to see the ring?" he asked. 

"No! Don't you dare! I swear I will really actually punch you," Magnus yelped. 

Gwyn laughed softly. "I did not want to spoil Alec’s surprise for you. I'm sorry."

"No, it's not your fault. I was being very insistent and threatening you with bodily harm," Magnus shook his head, laughing at himself. "I've been worried about him, you know. He's been so stressed out."

"Alec has been very hard on himself," Gwyn agreed. "He wants everything to be perfect, for you."

Magnus smiled fondly. "That’s my Alexander for you. But now that I know why he's been so keyed up, I think I know how to help him. Thank you, Gwyn. And sorry for... you know. Behaving like a crazy person."

"That’s ok. Love makes you do crazy things, sometimes."

Magnus laughed. "Ain't that the truth."

 

 


	4. Chapter 4

 

 

Gwyn had really outdone himself. The ring was made from black titanium, and was similar to the signet rings Alec had noticed Magnus wearing, the ones with his initials. But instead of a letter on the top, this ring had a cluster of black diamonds of different sizes that interlocked like pieces of a puzzle to form a solid rectangle, and a subtle texture had been added to the surface of the band. It was one of a kind, elegant, and there was always something surprising when you looked at it a second time - which was exactly how Alec felt about Magnus. 

"It's beautiful," Clary said, tearing up a bit. "Magnus is going to love it."

Alec wasn't even entirely sure why he had ended up turning to Clary for help, but since she had recommended Gwyn and was basically the only person Alec had told about his secret proposal plans, she was his last hope. 

After Magnus had accidentally ruined Alec's plans to propose at the Zoo, that last blank card was giving him nightmares. It was just so daunting - every other location that he could think of just seemed so clichéd, and they had covered a lot of ground in New York with the other 47 "first date" cards. 

Then the door to the apartment opened, and Jace walked in. Jace stared at Alec and Clary sitting together on the couch, Clary in happy tears and Alec with a ring box in his hands, and Alec saw the exact moment that Jace took a flying leap to the wrong conclusion. 

"What the hell is going on here?" Jace thundered, looking angry and devastated. 

Alec rolled his eyes and exchanged a look with Clary, and she burst out laughing. 

"Seriously, Jace?" Alec asked in exasperation. 

"Ewww," Clary giggled. "Not that Alec isn't totally dishy, objectively speaking, but icky-like-a-brother ewww."

"Also, gay! And in love with Magnus!" Alec pointed out.

"Sorry, sorry," Jace mumbled, shame-faced. "It was a long day at work, ok? My brain stopped working like, two hours ago. What's the ring for, then?" 

"Make a wild guess," Alec said dryly.

"Oh!" Jace said, suddenly seeing the light. "You're proposing to Magnus!"

"And if you accidentally tell him, I will post all your embarrassing childhood photos on Facebook," Alec warned.

"I'll contribute the more recent embarrassing photos," Clary offered, and shared a grin with Alec.

"Ok, threats duly noted, geez. Since when are the two of you best buddies, anyway?" Jace complained. He sat down on the couch next to Clary, nudging her to scoot a little closer to Alec. "So, when's the big day?"

"I don't know yet," Alec confessed. "Our schedules are always so crazy, you know."

"Are you proposing at the River Cafe?" Jace asked. 

"Like every other couple in New York?" Alec scoffed. "Besides, you need to make reservations like a week in advance."

"It's not like you to go into something like this without a plan," Jace said. "Usually you have a wet weather plan and five other contingency plans."

"Yeah, that kind of didn't work out - Magnus happened to want to go to the same place last week, and I can't reuse a place," Alec replied.

"Oh, right, you and your 'first date' cards. Bummer. How about the top of the Empire State building?" Jace suggested.

"Been there."

"Picnic at Central Park?"

"Done that."

"Staten Island."

"Very funny, Jace."

"Hey, it's a park now or something, isn't it?" Jace defended himself.

Clary turned to Alec suddenly. "How about a summer street fair? One of those with live music and food, or an art fair."

"Yeah, that sounds like it might work," Alec nodded. It would seem spontaneous and casual enough that Magnus wouldn't be expecting anything unusual. And maybe it would be slightly too much to get down on one knee in such a public setting, but surely there would be somewhere quiet where Alec could pop the question. 

Clary scrolled through her phone. "Here, how about this one - there's one at Upper East Side this week, or the Hester Street one next week."

"You could probably pay one of the street musicians to play the Wedding March or something when you and Magnus approach," Jace suggested. 

"I was thinking of something less flashy," Alec frowned. 

"Nonsense, Magnus loves being in the limelight, it'll be great! And I'll be there as your wingman, so everything will be fine," Jace declared. 

"No! Jace, I do not need a wingman for a proposal," Alec ground out in frustration. 

"Don't worry, buddy, it's no trouble. I'd love to help out," Jace grinned, slapping Alec hard on the back. Clary shrugged helplessly at Alec, and Alec sighed. 

 

 

On second thought, it had been a bad idea to Google something as obvious as "romantic proposal ideas in New York" at work when you had really nosy co-workers. Magnus had figured that if he subtly dropped hints about places he thought would work for them, Alec would feel less stressed about coming up with ideas on his own. Unfortunately, he had forgotten to close the browser window when Maia had come in to ask his advice on something. 

"Oh my god!" she squealed when she spotted his screen. Magnus hushed her desperately, even though Alec wasn't in the office. 

"When are you planning to do this?" she asked excitedly. 

"Oh, not really sure yet - it's hard for our schedules to sync up," Magnus replied vaguely.

"I'll tell Ragnor! I'm sure he can wrangle something for the two of you," Maia winked, and ran out of his office in search of Ragnor before he could stop her. Magnus cursed and resisted the urge to bang his head on the table.

It got out of hand so fast, Magnus didn't even know how to deal with the madness. The least of it was Ragnor rearranging all their meetings, so they suddenly had a free weekend - he had no idea what else Maia had done or who she had told. Alec, thankfully, didn't seem to mind suddenly having the weekend free, and brought up using their last card very nervously on his own - which was good, because it meant Alec had decided on something he was pretty sure would work. Magnus had figured that as long as he didn't tell Maia where they were going, she wouldn't be able to meddle, and he could _finally_ see the ring Alec had gotten for him. He had, of course, underestimated just how nosy Maia could get.

To tell the truth, by the time they got there, Magnus had almost forgotten all about Maia. Alec had brought him to a street fair at Upper East Side, which Magnus had to admit was pretty creative of him, and there was so much to see that Magnus was delightfully distracted and also quite excited to find out what Alec had planned for them. Instead of funnel-cakes and greasy sausages, there were stalls selling terrariums, knock-off Cronuts, vegan frozen mousse, cruelty-free soaps, and cuff links crafted from paint chips. There were musicians playing R&B and visual artists doing pop-art portraits, and stalls offering a game of cornhole. 

"Hey, is that Maia?" Alec asked Magnus when they were queuing for Japanese octopus fritters, and Magnus startled. He looked around, and sure enough, he spotted her distinctive graffiti jacket that she sometimes wore outside of work. How the hell had she managed to find them? Track his phone's GPS?! 

"I don't really want to talk to her though - I mean, we're on our date. Maybe we could try to avoid her?" Magnus asked Alec pleadingly.

"Sure, I don't think she's seen us," Alec agreed, and they ducked behind a stall selling Ecuadorian woven bracelets.

"Huh, I think I just saw Jace," Magnus told Alec, then wondered if he should have kept quiet about that - maybe Alec had asked his brother along to help with the proposal.

"Oh god, let's avoid him too," Alec muttered, and they quickly went the other way.

They managed to walk round a whole block without seeing either Jace or Maia, when Magnus gasped. "Wait - I don't believe it - is that _Raphael_?" Magnus squinted. How had Maia managed to get the grouchy guy out to participate in this insanity? And he was carrying an armful of red roses, goodness - as if Magnus would ever go for something that clichéd. 

"Is it just me, or is this particular street fair really popular with all the people we know?" Alec muttered, steering Magnus behind another stall.

Magnus grinned at him. "Look at us - two grown men, playing hide-and-seek with friends who keep turning up where they're not wanted." 

Alec rolled his eyes but couldn't help smiling a little too. "I'm glad you're finding this so amusing."

"Oh, you know me - I'd rather laugh at myself first, before anybody can," Magnus quipped.

"Yeah, you know what would be really funny? Now all we need is for Ragnor to turn up as well," Alec said. "We could make a company outing out of it."

"Don't jinx us, Alexander!" Magnus laughed.

Of course, when they did spot Ragnor queuing up for craft beer, Magnus erupted into a giggling fit to burst and they barely ducked out of sight in time. The stall owners, who were starting to notice their odd behaviour of never joining the queues and sneaking around in the spaces in between the stalls, stared at them. 

"Why is this happening?" Alec groaned. "How could this get any worse?" 

"I believe we're about to find out," Magnus said, indicating Jace, who seemed to be in a very agitated conversation with a solo trombone player. "What is he trying to do?" 

The trombone player spoke sharply to Jace, looking quite red in the face, then threw a sour look at him and started playing a slow dirge. 

"I said a  _wedding_ march, not a funeral march!" Jace shouted. "What the fuck is wrong with you?" The trombone player who Jace was yelling at increased the volume of his playing.

"He's going to need so much help when he finally tries to propose to poor Biscuit," Magnus observed, eyes on the spectacle unfolding in front of them, and missed Alec's small shocked look.

"I'm pretty sure Clary knew what she signed up for when she got together with him," Alec said evenly. 

"That’s true. Love is all about accepting the other person for whoever they are, isn't it?" Magnus murmured. "Finding the perfection in imperfection."

Alec cleared his throat. "I know this was our last 'first date' card, but... Don't you get the feeling we’d probably enjoy it more if we went home, ordered Chinese takeout, and cuddled on the couch watching crappy TV?" Alec asked Magnus. 

"I thought you'd never ask," Magnus grinned, and linked his arms with Alec's. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Me, throwing shade at Clalec shippers? Haven't the foggiest idea what you're talking about. 
> 
> I'd really like to see Alec and Clary become pals and ganging up to tease Jace though.


	5. Chapter 5

 

 

"Izzy, hey. I got your message, what's the emergency?" Alec asked as he sat down at the table in the waffle place where they'd arranged to meet. 

"So. I received a very interesting phone call from Jace last night. He sounded like he had just drank an entire swimming pool full of tequila, and was sobbing about how he'd let you down by ruining your proposal to Magnus," Izzy said, her eyes accusing. 

Alec sighed and closed his eyes, already planning to enlist Clary in cutting all of Jace's hair off in his sleep. It was his fault that Magnus had probably guessed what was going on, anyway.

"I had to find out about it from _Jace_ ," Izzy pouted. "I thought I was your favourite sibling!"

"Technically, I didn't tell Jace. He found out by accident when I was talking to Clary," Alec said. 

"Wait, _Clary_ knew before I did?!" 

"I had to ask her for help designing the ring! I mean, she's the only artist in our circle of friends," Alec protested. 

"Ok, fair enough. But since everyone found out about the proposal before me, as compensation, you're going to let me plan the wedding," Izzy said.  

"Izzy, he hasn't even said 'yes'," Alec huffed in frustration, but it was like talking to a brick wall.  

"Oooh, how about a summer wedding? Cobalt blue for you, and gold for Magnus. I know this amazing church with a spectacular stained glass window..." 

"Summer? Izzy, unless you're talking about having the wedding within the next couple of weeks, that's a whole year away," Alec said. He didn't want to wait that long. Once Magnus said 'yes' (after Alec finally had the chance to propose to him uninterrupted), he wanted to make Magnus his husband as soon as possible. 

"Don't you want to give Magnus the perfect wedding?" Izzy scolded. "Well, you can't rush perfection. Planning a wedding this big needs time." 

"Hey, stop - who said anything about a big wedding? I was thinking just some friends, and family." 

"Alec! Your wedding is a big chance to impress and be seen! Trust me - I'm in marketing, remember?" Izzy said, and Alec started rubbing his temple, feeling a headache coming on.

 

 

Magnus had just settled down with a cup of coffee, ready to do some work while he waited for Alec to come back from his brunch date with Izzy, when he saw the email from Queen LLP. He had put it out of his mind with the excitement of the proposal, and to be honest, he was a tad surprised that they were being this pushy about asking him for an answer. It was a good offer, yes, but uprooting himself from New York to move to Los Angeles was something that needed a bit of thought, wasn't it?  

He opened the email, prepared to write another short reply asking for their patience, when he noticed that this time a "R. Lightwood" had been copied in the email. He frowned. _Robert Lightwood_? Alec's father? Why was this any of his business? He should have known the offer was too good to be true. Something was fishy about this.

Magnus found Robert Lightwood's office number off the internet and dialed it. "Hello, is this Robert Lightwood's office? May I speak with Mr Lightwood, please? It's Meliorn Whitewillow from Queen LLP." 

"Please hold," the secretary said. Magnus waited impatiently while the call connected. 

"Whitewillow. What is it?" Robert Lightwood's gruff voice came over the line. 

"Mr Lightwood, it's about our offer to Mr Magnus Bane and Mr Alec Lightwood," Magnus said. 

"What about it? Your voice sounds a little different today."

"Tonsillitis," Magnus responded glibly. "Anyway, Mr Bane has requested a higher salary," Magnus said, and quoted a slightly higher figure than what Queen had offered, something not too unreasonable. 

Robert Lightwood grunted. "Whatever it takes to get my embarrassment of a son and his even bigger embarrassment of a partner out of New York. If your boss has an issue with the figure, let her know that I'm willing to throw one more case - and only one more - when Queen comes up against Lightwood & Lightwood."

"I'm afraid Mr Bane and Mr Lightwood will not be accepting the offer after all," Magnus replied, his voice shaking with anger. 

"I'm sorry, what?"

"You're a bigot and a really terrible excuse for a father. And if seeing your son happy and successful makes you feel uncomfortable, I'm afraid you're just going to have to get used to it!" Magnus snapped and cut the call just as Alec walked in the door. 

Alec took one look at Magnus' furious expression and dropped everything in his arms by the door. "What happened?"

"Your father is without a doubt, the reigning champion of the title 'Biggest Asshole in New York'," Magnus said, still seething and trying hard to calm down before he ended up writing an unprofessional, expletive-filled email to Queen LLP.  

"Is this about Queen LLP?" Alec asked. "It's just that... I know he works with them sometimes."  

"Oh, Alexander, you should have told me," Magnus said. "No wonder you were so resistant to the offer. But it's ok, I'm going to reject them."

"I'm sorry it didn't work out, baby," Alec said, pulling Magnus in for a hug and kiss on the forehead. 

"It's alright. I should have known that with you, things always happen for a reason. They can go stick their senior partnership where the sun doesn't shine." 

Alec chuckled. "Well, that's one good news for me today, at least." 

"You did seem kind of frustrated when you came in. I thought you were meeting Izzy for brunch? What happened?"  

"I'm just so done with people," Alec mumbled into Magnus' shoulder. 

"Even Izzy?"

" _Especially_ Izzy."

"What happened, love? You know you can tell me anything."

"She's driving me crazy. She's turning into a bridezilla and it isn't even her wedding, it's _mine_ -" Alec began, then his brain caught up with his mouth. Fuck!

" _Your_ wedding?" Magnus repeated. 

Alec looked carefully at Magnus and smiled wryly. "You don't seem terribly surprised, so I'm guessing the cat is out of the bag. Am I that bad at keeping secrets?"

Magnus grinned. "Darling, I think the biggest and only secret you managed to keep from me was your seven-month-long crush on me from the moment we met to the day we finally had the most incredible sex in my entire life." 

"Damn it," Alec said, although he was also smiling. "So do I actually still need to pop the question?" 

"What question?" Magnus asked innocently. 

Alec took a deep breath. The ring wasn't with him now, it was still sitting safely in the wardrobe nestled amongst his sweaters, but what the hell. "Will you, Magnus Bane, marry me, Alexander Lightwood?"  

"Alexander _Gideon_ Lightwood," Magnus corrected gently, the tears welling up in his eyes. "And yes. A thousand times yes." 

Alec pulled Magnus in for a kiss, a gentle press of the lips that belied how his heart was bursting out of his chest with joy. And then he was crying and grinning at the same time, and Magnus wiped away his tears with a smile.  

"I may have a little secret of my own too," Magnus confessed. He took a small box out of his pocket. Alec stared at it, speechless. 

"Will you, Alexander Gideon Lightwood, marry me, Magnus Bane?"

Alec couldn't find the words to answer. He crashed their lips together again, trying to tell Magnus his answer with his kisses: _yes, yes, yes._

He walked Magnus backwards and pushed him onto the couch, causing him to yelp in surprise, then immediately started attacking Magnus' shirt buttons. Magnus quickly placed the ring box safely on the coffee table before turning back to the task of getting them both out of their clothes. 

Alec lavished hot open-mouthed kisses down Magnus' neck and bare chest, tongue swirling over the hard nubs of his nipples before travelling down to his abs. He worked open Magnus' fly, peeling his jeans off him as he mouthed at the head of Magnus' cock through his boxer-briefs. Magnus gasped and arched into his mouth as Alec teased at the waistband of his underwear, lifting his hips so Alec could slide it off properly. 

Alec licked his lips unconsciously at the sight of Magnus' cock jutting up proudly and bent forward to take as much as he could into his mouth. He moaned, revelling in the taste of Magnus and the heady weight of him on his tongue. Alec began bobbing up and down on Magnus' cock while he shoved his own jeans and underwear down to his thighs and started jerking himself off. It was a messy, sloppy blowjob, intentionally so. 

Magnus watched him with heavy-lidded eyes for a while, before carding a hand through Alec's messy hair. "Come up here, darling," he panted. 

Alec gave Magnus' cock a few more lingering kisses before breaking off to struggle with his jeans. Magnus let his legs fall apart to accommodate Alec as he clambered up to cover Magnus' body with his own and slot their cocks together, groaning at the feeling of Alec's hardness pressing against his own. Alec wrapped his hand around both their cocks and started pumping them, spit and precome helping to smooth the way. 

"Alexander," Magnus moaned, thrusting up into Alec's hand and fitting his own hand over Alec's.

Magnus slid his free hand into the hair at Alec's nape and pulled him closer to claim his mouth, sucking hard on Alec's already swollen lips, and Alec's rhythm faltered. He ravaged Alec's mouth, his tongue thrusting in possessively as Alec bucked and writhed against him, one hand still pulling Alec's head in and keeping him close. That was the tipping point for Alec - he moaned helplessly into Magnus' mouth and came all over Magnus' abs, and Magnus soon fell over the edge with him, whispering his name.  

Alec grabbed some tissues from the box on the table to wipe them off, then snuggled into Magnus' side, still slightly loose-limbed from the combination of pleasure and happiness coursing through his body. 

"I'm guessing that was a yes," Magnus finally said breathlessly, and Alec grinned shyly.  

"We should have our wedding at the Zoo. I figured out that you'd initially wanted to propose to me at the pergola?" Magnus asked. 

"That only fits about 200 people though."

"Just how many people were you planning on inviting?" Magnus asked in amusement. 

"Izzy said... well, she said I should at least invite all our clients, especially the ones from the big cases that helped our careers. And all the people we depend on for things to go smoothly, like the staff at the courthouse. And all your exes, apparently."

"But what about you? What do _you_ want?" Magnus asked gently. 

"I want to give you the kind of wedding you deserve. Classy, elegant, unforgettable... I want to show the world how proud I am, to be the one to put a ring on your finger," Alec said softly. 

"Oh, Alexander. I don't need a big wedding. I don't need flower arrangements and a huge guest list and all those trappings. I just need you," Magnus smiled, placing a hand on Alec's cheek. "And correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe that's all we really need to get married - you and me in the same place as a legally-ordained minister." 

"You're right," Alec sighed in relief. "We can have a small thing, that's what I wanted anyway. Maybe tomorrow I'll have enough energy to do battle against Izzy and beat her down."

"Or..." Magnus fidgeted with one of the rings on his finger - his left ring finger, Alec couldn't help noticing. "Well. How do you feel about Las Vegas?"

"Wait - are you serious?" Alec looked at Magnus in surprise. 

Magnus shrugged. "I can be packed and ready to go in an hour. Just think - no meddling siblings, no well-meaning but really annoying friends. Just us."

"Just us," Alec repeated, his eyes shining. "I like the sound of that."

"I can't wait to become Mr Lightwood-Bane," Magnus said fondly, kissing Alec. 

"Bane-Lightwood - it's alphabetical," Alec countered.  

"No, Lightwood-Bane sounds better. Besides, you know how much I enjoy getting behind you," Magnus smirked. 

"And having the last word," Alec teased with a grin. 

"Oh dear, Alexander. Making dad jokes already? Don't you think we should at least have our honeymoon first?"

Alec laughed, feeling slightly giddy. "We're getting married tonight," he said, and it sounded so surreal to hear it out loud. 

"Vegas, here we come!" Magnus agreed, and kissed him again. 

 


	6. Chapter 6

 

 

They took the first flight out to Vegas, made a stop at the County Bureau to get their marriage license, and were rolling into the first available wedding chapel that wasn't Elvis-themed with their luggage still in the rental car. This was the craziest, most impulsive thing Alec had done in his entire life, and it had never felt more right. 

When they walked into the chapel, Alec couldn't help but laugh - there were fake blue lights in the ceiling, made to look like skylights, and fake vines and trees all around to mimic an outdoor wedding. 

"Huh. Looks like we're getting married in your pergola after all," Magnus giggled.  

Unfortunately, there were still things that had to be decided before they could proceed with the ceremony - nitty-gritty things like photo and video options, and who was walking in from where, and Alec was getting impatient. 

"Can we just skip to the part where I kiss the groom?" Alec joked under his breath. 

"Hush," Magnus whispered. "They might throw us out, and I really want to get married today."

In the end, since they couldn't decide who should wait at the altar, they decided they would both walk down the aisle together. They were given some time to freshen up, and as usual Alec was done before Magnus. He tugged restlessly on the lapel of the classic black suit Magnus had packed for him, and turned when he heard Magnus clear his throat behind him. 

Magnus was wearing a dark wine-coloured suit with a black asymmetrical waistcoat that Alec had seen him wear maybe once before, but the sight still took his breath away.  

"Hey," he said softly. 

Magnus walked up to him and took his hand. "Let's go get married, Alexander."

 

 

They had opted for something basic - fairy lights in the trees, and the traditional wedding march playing while they walked down the short aisle hand in hand. Alec thought their minister looked oddly familiar, and turned to mention it to Magnus, only to find him staring slack-jawed at their minister.  

"Alexander, I believe we're being married by the Old Spice guy," Magnus muttered. 

The minister smiled widely at them as they walked up to the altar. If he found it odd that it was only the two of them, with no family and friends, he didn't blink an eye - this was Vegas, after all. 

"Today, we are celebrating the marriage of Alexander and Magnus. Marriage is a promise between two people who love each other, who trust each other, who honour one another as individuals, and who wish to spend rest of their lives with each other. Marriage is not just a commitment. It is a covenant - a covenant that says: 'I love you. I trust you. I will be here for you when you are hurting, and when I am hurting, I will not leave.' It enables two separate souls to share their desires, longings, dreams, joys and sorrows. And maybe this covenant cannot prevent pain, anger, and sorrow from touching your lives; but it will be a sanctuary, a safe place to come back to when life gets you down."

Alec felt Magnus squeeze his hand, and exchanged a smile with him. The minister indicated that they should face each other.  

"Alexander Gideon Lightwood, will you take Magnus Bane to be your lawful wedded husband? Will you love, comfort, honor and protect him, forsaking all others to be faithful to him until death do you part?"

"I do," Alec said firmly.

"Magnus Bane, will you take Alexander Gideon Lightwood to be your lawful wedded husband? Will you love, comfort, honor and protect him, forsaking all others to be faithful to him until death do you part? 

"I do," Magnus agreed with a smile.

"Can I add something?" Alec asked suddenly, and the minister nodded with a smile.

Alec looked down at his shoes, took a deep breath, then looked up to meet Magnus' expectant gaze. "Magnus, I know that I can be stubborn, and I don't deal well with changes. But I promise to try to be more supportive and encourage your dreams, and to try my best to bring you happiness every day. I can't believe how lucky I am to have found you, and I promise to love you for as long as I live." 

Magnus smiled fondly at him. "Alexander, before I met you, I was kind of a mess. I'd been hurt, and I found it hard to learn to trust again. But you gave me the courage to risk being hurt, and your love convinced me that I could always trust you, even when I don't understand. You're the best thing that's happened to me and I will never, ever take that for granted." 

"Do you have rings?" their minister asked, and they both nodded. The ceremony planner stepped forward with the cushion bearing their rings, and Alec realised nervously that this would be the first time Magnus was seeing the ring - the first time either of them would actually be seeing the rings they had bought for each other.

As Alec took Magnus' hand, he suddenly noticed that Magnus had removed every single ring from his fingers, his hands now strangely bare and vulnerable without its usual adornments.

Alec picked up the ring he had gotten for Magnus, and slid it gently onto Magnus' ring finger. Magnus stared down at it, mesmerised, until the minister cleared his throat.  

"Sorry, I'm back," Magnus blinked away his tears and smiled at Alec, then it was his turn to put his ring on Alec's ring finger. It wasn't a heavy ring, but it was solid and grounding. Alec suddenly felt like someone had entrusted him with the weight of the world. 

"Repeat this after me," their minister intoned.

"This ring, which has no beginning and no end, symbolises the love and trust between us. May its presence on your hand remind you of the promises we have made to each other," Alec repeated. 

"I offer you my hand, and my heart, as I know they will be safe with you. All that I am I give to you and all that I have I share with you," Magnus echoed. 

"By the power enthroned in me, by the State of Nevada, I now pronounce you husband and husband. You may now kiss."

Magnus leaned forward and pressed an overly chaste kiss to Alec's lips, and they grinned at each other, a secret joke. 

"Congratulations, Mr and Mr Lightwood-Bane," their minister told them, shaking their hands. 

They made small talk for a little while, until Alec couldn't bear it any more. "Sorry, you'll have to excuse us, my husband and I have somewhere we need to be."

"Of course, all the best," he told them, and left them to make their way out of the chapel.   

" _Husband_ ," Magnus sighed happily, admiring the ring on his finger. "I'm never going to get tired of hearing you call me that."  

"Izzy is going to kill us when she finds out," Alec grinned. 

"Well, she's going to have to find us first. Unfortunately for her, we're going on our honeymoon tour round the world for the next month." 

"A whole month?" Alec raised an eyebrow. 

"I think we've both accumulated enough time off. Ragnor can deal with it. We deserve it after working so hard for Fell & Idris, don't you think?"

"I didn't pack enough clothes for a month."

"Neither did I. But we could always buy what we need. And anyway I plan to spend at least 75 percent of the time naked, so that's not going to be a problem," Magnus said with a wicked grin. 

"You want to travel round the world, but spend most of it naked in bed?" Alec laughed. 

"Doesn't have to be in a bed," Magnus shrugged. 

"Let's try _not_ to get arrested on our honeymoon?" 

"But it's our last hurrah!"

"I think that's the stag night, Magnus."

" _Husband_. You're only allowed to call me 'husband'," Magnus reminded him. 

Alec grinned and leaned close so he was whispering into Magnus' ear. "Really? Even when you've got your cock deep inside me, and I'm fucking myself on it? 'Husband' seems like a bit of an odd thing to be shouting in the middle of that."  

"You never know until you try it out," Magnus said. "Harder, husband. Right there, husband. Give it to me, husband." 

"Oh my god, Magnus, please stop. That was terrifying," Alec laughed, blushing hard and hoping nobody had overheard them.  

"Make me," Magnus said teasingly. 

"Oh, are we starting this again? Right here, right now?" Alec asked in mock affront.

"What are you going to do about it?"

Alec smirked and swept Magnus off his feet, carrying him bridal style to the car. 

"Alexander!" Magnus yelped, laughing. "Put me down!"  

"Nope."

"Why am I the one being carried?"

"Because you're the one that needed shutting up."

"Ok, fair enough," Magnus said, hopping down gracefully when they reached the car. "But I get to carry you over the threshold when we get to our hotel room."

Alec laughed. "Then what are we waiting for?" 

 

 

The honeymoon suite at the hotel came with complimentary chocolates and champagne, a king-sized bed, and a marble jacuzzi tub, and every surface of the room had quite literally been covered with rose petals.  

Alec wrinkled his nose as he found himself crushing petals everywhere underfoot, then looked up at the ceiling and blushed furiously. "Is it too late to ask for a different room? Or possibly a completely different hotel?" he asked weakly.  

"Well, we made our booking a little late, but I'm sure it's possible. What's wrong?"

Alec pointed wordlessly at the ceiling. Magnus looked up, and burst out laughing. "Ooh, very kinky. Just what I always wanted, a mirror above the bed."

Alec groaned and covered his face. Magnus giggled and took pity on him, and quickly drew all the blinds on the windows and turned off the lights. The room was suddenly plunged into complete darkness.

"Better?" 

"Much."

They felt their way to the bed, tripping and stumbling and giggling as they tried to get each other's clothes off blindly, and Alec huffed in frustration because the buttons on Magnus' waistcoat never seemed to be where he expected them to be.

"Stop, that tickles," Magnus complained, batting his hands away to undo the buttons on his own. 

"No, I want to do it," Alec insisted, and Magnus could hear the grin in his voice. "...husband."

"That's playing dirty and you know it," Magnus grumbled, but let his hands fall away.

Magnus thought they'd experienced everything there was to experience together as a couple, but as always, Alec was full of surprises. It was strangely intense, making love in complete darkness; never knowing when or where to expect a lingering touch or a gentle kiss, and every press of skin on skin was electrifying. They were lying side by side, touching completely from ankle to chest, and Alec had one leg wrapped around Magnus' waist so that Magnus could reach around to open him up slowly while their cocks rubbed together and they traded lazy kisses.  

"I love you," Alec whispered, his breath tickling Magnus' face. 

"I love you, too," Magnus whispered back. 

He felt Alec run his hand down his arm to tug lightly at his wrist, and slid his fingers out so Alec could roll over. He took himself in hand and rubbed the head against Alec’s ass until he finally found his entrance, then slowly pressed into the slick heat of Alec's body.  

"God, Magnus," Alec cried out in a choked-up voice as he opened up for him.  

"I love you so much, Alexander."

Magnus felt Alec turn his head and start mouthing at Magnus' jaw, trying to find his lips in the dark, and they tangled their tongues together as Magnus rocked slowly into Alec. For once, Alec seemed content to let Magnus keep to his pace, leaning into him and running his hand up and down Magnus' thigh. 

Magnus wrapped one arm around Alec’s chest, gradually sliding it lower and lower until his fingers wrapped around Alec's cock, and Alec bucked his hips with a whimper.  

"Magnus, please, _please_ ," Alec moaned, his own hand fitting around Magnus' and together they brought Alec to completion.

They stayed like that for a while, Magnus rocking very gently into him while Alec's heaving breaths filled the dark silence of the room, then Magnus made to pull out, but Alec stopped him with a hand pressed to his thigh. 

"Keep going."

"But-"

"It's ok, it's a lot but... Fuck, it's still good."

Magnus rolled Alec onto his front a little so he could thrust a little more forcefully into him and picked up the pace. Alec immediately started crying out, making more noise than Magnus had ever heard him make in bed.  

"Magnus, oh god, please- don't stop, don't stop-" 

"I'm close, Alexander. Fuck, you're amazing, you feel so- I'm going to-!"

Magnus thrust as deep as he could go as he came inside Alec, and Alec cried out together with him, shuddering under him as if he was coming again.  

"Alexander, my darling, are you alright?" Magnus asked when his brain finally started working again.  

"Mmm," Alec hummed contentedly, pulling Magnus into his arms. "S'good." Alec sounded like he was already drifting off to sleep. 

Magnus was suddenly reminded of the first time they had had sex in a hotel room - the first night they had spent together. He grinned mischievously, the hand he had placed on Alec's lower back drifting lower, and Alec jolted awake.  

"You do know that we can't make those babies we want on our own, right?" Alec teased, his voice hitching a little.  

"Oh my god, what lies have they told you, Alexander?!" Magnus gasped. "Of course we can, let me prove it to you. Just sex at least five times a day for a whole month, and I guarantee the magical stork will bring us our miracle baby."

"I think we might break something if we had that much sex," Alec laughed, then broke off in a moan when Magnus' fingers slipped into him.

"Then we'll just have to put each other back together again," Magnus whispered, and rolled Alec over again.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Part of the minister's wedding speech is inspired by "Marriage Contract" by Margaret A. Keip. Also, I've just realised that Luke hasn't shown up in this story, which is not acceptable. So they got Isaiah XD


	7. Chapter 7

 

"Daddy, I wanna go see the penguins," Max whined, pulling on Alec's sleeve. 

"We're almost done here. Hang in there, buddy," Alec told his son, resisting the urge to ruffle his perfectly-combed hair, because Magnus would kill him. "We've got to wait for Papa and Rafe."

"Oh, here they come!" Max perked up. 

Alec followed his gaze, and there they were - Magnus looking gorgeous as usual, with their older son Rafe holding his hand. 

"Walk faster, Papa!" Max called out loudly, and all the guests in attendance laughed. 

Rafe, who had taken the duty of escorting his Papa down the aisle so he could give him away to his Daddy very seriously, shot a glare at his younger brother, and stubbornly kept to his slow and stately pace. Magnus exchanged a look with Alec from across the short distance that separated them and bit back a laugh. 

After five years of Izzy, Maia, Jace, Ragnor, and Izzy (and had they mentioned Izzy?) complaining that they had only gotten to watch a video of their wedding ceremony, Alec had finally given in to letting Izzy plan a small ceremony for them, where they would renew their marriage vows with their two children as witnesses. Alec's only caveats had been that he and Magnus were in charge of the guest list, and the only approved venue was the pergola in Central Park Zoo. 

When Magnus and Rafe finally reached the altar, Rafe solemnly placed Magnus' hand in Alec's. He then walked over to take Magnus' other hand, so that all four of them were standing before Clary's stepfather, Luke, who had agreed to officiate the ceremony. 

"Ladies and gentlemen, we are gathered here today to witness the reaffirmation of the marriage vows between Alexander and Magnus. Five years ago today..."

Five years ago, they had made their vows to each other in a small, private ceremony, just the two of them. Now two was four, and gathered behind them were the family and friends who had been there for them over the years, watching their relationship grow - and in some cases, having been one of the many people who had tried to set them up with each other in the first place. 

"...Marriage is a promise made in the hearts of two people who love each other. The potential of marriage takes a lifetime to fulfil. Today, the both of you have symbolised your continued commitment to that promise by the joining of hands, the taking of vows, and by the wearing of your rings. It is with pleasure that I conclude the ceremony of renewing the vows of marriage that joined you and bind you. You may now celebrate with a kiss."

They kissed each other sweetly, to cheers and catcalls, and accepted congratulations after congratulations until their children were practically vibrating with restlessness.

"Can we go to see the penguins  _now_?" Max asked.

"Are you sure you'd prefer penguins to ice cream?" Izzy asked them, and both boys gasped, eyes wide. "It's just that I put in a special order at the dessert table..."

"Come on, I'll take you," Simon offered, winking at Alec and Magnus. 

"Thanks for organising everything, Iz," Alec said, pecking her on the forehead. 

"See, I told you you could count on me! Don't you regret not letting me plan your wedding five years ago?"

"Not one bit," Alec replied immediately, and she punched him in the arm. 

"Hey, don't you two have somewhere to be?" Jace asked. 

"We should probably check on the boys before we go," Magnus said, and Alec nodded, already scanning the small crowd for their kids. 

"Yeah, don't worry about the boys, we'll take care of them - apparently I need the practice," Jace said, shooting a glance at Clary, who was whispering something to Izzy and giggling. Both of them were expecting their firsts at around the same time, but they were only just starting to show. 

Just then the two boys raced past with Simon, screaming with glee. 

"All right, last one to reach the penguins is an Imperial Gonk droid. And you don't wanna be that guy!" Simon called out. 

"Maybe you could pick up a thing or two from Sherwin," Magnus observed. 

"God, not you too," Jace groaned. "Anything he can do I can do better, alright?" 

"Mm-hmm," Alec said skeptically. 

"Shut up. My proposal didn't go _that_ badly. I only needed four stitches."

"Uncle Jace! Are you coming?" Max shouted. 

"Or _are_ you an Imperial Gonk droid?" Simon taunted. 

"I'll gonk your annoying nerd-face," Jace muttered darkly. "Well, I'd better go before Simon corrupts them all with his nerdiness. I'm afraid your second honeymoon is only going to be about 4 hours long, instead of 4 weeks - and your time starts now," Jace said, clapping Alec on the shoulder. 

"Oh, don't worry, we're going to make it count," Magnus purred. 

"Eww, I _still_ don't want to know," Jace shuddered. "Bye!" And then he was off racing after the boys and Simon. 

Alec and Magnus watched them go, then took each other's hand. There would be another time for a day out at the Zoo with the boys; today was going to be about them.

 

 

Magnus had checked them in at a swanky hotel not too far from the Zoo. He had insisted on being rather secretive about the booking, so Alec had had his suspicions - and unfortunately, his suspicions had been right this time. On the wall opposite the bed, there was a huge mirror hanging from a golden gilded frame, covering practically half the wall. Alec turned to glare at Magnus. 

"Magnus, seriously? It's been five years, let it go."

"But you promised to always encourage my dreams," Magnus pouted. 

"I don't think the kinky sex ones were included in that clause."

"They were, in clause 1 section 7 of the addendum that you signed today," Magnus joked. 

Alec snorted and shook his head. 

"I've waited five years, darling," Magnus cajolled. 

Alec sighed and ran a hand through his hair, obviously struggling between his desire to please Magnus and his own embarrassment. 

"Would it help change your mind if I told you I was hoping to bottom today?" Magnus asked as he kissed the sensitive spot just behind Alec's ear. "You could take me from behind, and I'd be the one in the mirror, mostly."

"I... ok," Alec nodded, his throat already dry with the anticipation. When Magnus bottomed, he often got _very_ inventive.

He let Magnus peel off his clothes until only his boxers were left and push him onto the bed, and kept his eyes on Magnus as he took off his own jacket, tie and waistcoat while straddling Alec's thighs. From this angle, he blocked the mirror almost completely from Alec's view, which Alec was thankfully for. 

"Eyes on me, Alexander," Magnus said, as if Alec could ever look away. 

Magnus undid his shirt buttons one by one, slid his shirt partway off his broad shoulders, then opened his fly and started pleasuring himself, stroking his own length while playing with his balls. 

"Your turn," he panted. "Touch yourself for me,  Alexander."

Alec swallowed and complied, taking his half-hard cock out of his underwear and stroking it to full hardness. He could feel the blush spreading down his cheeks to his neck and chest from Magnus watching him with hungry eyes. 

"I wish you could see for yourself how gorgeous you are, Alexander," Magnus said softly. 

"You're the gorgeous one," Alec replied breathlessly. 

"Well, yes, I am rather gorgeous myself," Magnus agreed cheekily, and Alec huffed with laughter. Magnus shrugged his shirt off and threw it carelessly behind him. "And a demonstration is in order."

He made short work of the rest of their clothes, then crawled over Alec, smirking. He lowered his mouth down to Alec's hip bones, kissing and sucking everywhere except where Alec wanted him, while leaving his ass raised and back arched, putting himself on display in the reflection for Alec's viewing pleasure. 

"How's the view?" he asked, eyes twinkling. 

"Amazing," Alec replied, breathing hard as Magnus began to kiss his way up from Alec's inner thighs to Alec's cock. 

"Oh, you haven't seen anything yet, Alexander," Magnus said in a low voice, and swirled his tongue around the head of Alec's cock. Alec's breath hitched, then Magnus drew a sharp gasp from him when he pointed his tongue and pressed it into the slit of Alec's cock. 

"Oh my god, Magnus, fuck," Alec cried out. Magnus pressed his hips down to stop him from jerking upwards and kept up the torturously-slow blowjob that was all teasing and tongue, until Alec was practically begging for him to put his mouth on him properly. 

"It's too much, it's too much, please-" Alec writhed desperately under Magnus. 

Magnus grinned and got out some lube, then reached behind himself and began teasing his own entrance, spreading the lube all around the rim but never pressing in. 

He pulled off Alec’s cock briefly to give Alec a chance to recover and panted, "Why don't you tell me what you want me to do, love."

Alec swallowed hard, eyes on the mirror. "Put one finger in, slowly."

Magnus immediately followed his instructions, sliding one finger in as he resumed his ministrations on Alec's cock. 

"Now add another one, and start fucking yourself."

In the mirror, Alec could see Magnus' hole, shiny with lube, being stretched open on Magnus' own fingers, his puckered entrance already turning pink as Magnus fucked himself with his fingers. 

Alec groaned and ran his fingers through Magnus' hair, then held him in place as he pressed his cock past Magnus' open lips and started fucking Magnus' mouth in sync with the rhythm of Magnus' fingers in the reflection. Magnus moaned around Alec's cock, his body jerking helplessly with pleasure, and Alec quickly had him adding a third finger. 

"Fuck, Magnus, look at you," Alec breathed reverently, and pulled Magnus off his cock so he could claim his mouth in a bruising kiss. "I want you so bad, baby."

"Just say the word and I'm yours," Magnus murmured. 

"Yes, god. Come here," Alec urged. 

Magnus pulled his fingers out from himself and turned around to sit on Alec's lap, slowly lowering himself onto Alec length. Magnus was incredibly tight, and it took a while for him to take Alec fully into his body. 

"Are you ok?" Alec whispered, pressing gentle kisses into the back of Magnus' neck. 

"Yeah. Just... It's been a while," Magnus huffed, eyes closed and brows slightly furrowed. He took several deep breaths, relaxing incrementally around Alec. "You can move now, love."

Alec kissed his shoulder, and pushed up into him with shallow, short jabs, then longer, rolling motions, and Magnus responded by rocking back on him in tandem. 

Alec couldn't tear his eyes away from the sight in the mirror - the beautiful, graceful lines of Magnus' body on full display, a faint sheen of sweat on his perfectly sculpted chest and abs. In the soft glow of the afternoon light filtering in through the gauzy curtains, Magnus seemed to be glowing. 

Magnus was watching Alec watching him, and with the air of someone putting on a show, he used the arm curled around Alec's shoulders for support as he slowly and tantalisingly placed his legs on either side of Alec's thighs, leaving himself splayed wide so Alec could clearly see himself sliding in and out of Magnus' body. 

"Oh god, Magnus," Alec groaned. 

"Look at what you do to me, Alexander," Magnus panted as he started to rock down hard, meeting Alec's thrusts. His cock was swollen red, bobbing with each movement, a bead of precome glistening at the tip that Alec had a sudden urge to taste. 

Alec swiped his thumb over the head of Magnus' cock and Magnus gasped, hips bucking. His eyes locked on Magnus' in the reflection, and he brought his thumb to his own mouth, slowly licking the precome off with long swipes of his tongue.

"Fuck. Who knew you had it in you to be such a tease," Magnus groaned.  

Alec grinned and made to wrap his fingers around Magnus' cock, but Magnus grabbed Alec's wrist and shook his head. "Want to come just from your cock," he panted, and started fucking down more forcefully. 

Since he wasn't allowed to touch Magnus' cock, Alec ran his hands up and down Magnus' body from shoulders to thigh, and pressed kisses into his shoulders and back. Magnus tilted his head back so he could kiss Alec, and they panted into each other's mouths, tongues sliding against each other and teeth grazing each other's lips gently even as the pace of their love-making got more frenetic. Alec caught the hard nubs of Magnus' nipples between his thumb and forefinger and pinched them lightly, and Magnus cried out, his cock twitching. 

"Make me come, Alexander, please. Make me come on your cock," he gasped, head falling backwards to rest on Alec's shoulder and hands gripping Alec's thighs. 

Alec wrapped his arms tighter around Magnus' chest and started driving up into Magnus' tight heat in earnest, each thrust forcing a desperate sob from Magnus. 

"Yes, just like that, harder, fuck me, Alexander, _harder_ -"

"Please say you're close, I'm so close," Alec moaned, feeling the pressure building inside him. "Gonna come inside you."

"Me too, just a bit more, right there..."

"Magnus, Magnus, fuck, I love you so much."

Alec fixed his lips on the pulse point on Magnus' neck and sucked hard, and Magnus' mouth dropped open in a silent shout of ecstasy, his release spurting out in front of them. His body, already incredibly tight around Alec, clamped down in a vice-like grip, and Alec ground desperately into Magnus' ass as he came as well, chanting Magnus' name. 

They stayed like this a while, trying to catch their breath, then Alec laid Magnus down gently on the bed and curled up next to him. 

"Happy fifth anniversary, husband," he whispered, and Magnus grinned. 

"Still not tired of you calling me that," he admitted. He turned to kiss Alec. "Happy fifth anniversary, husband - and here's to many more to come."

"Mmm," Alec hummed. "Sleep now."

"Are you sure you don't want to try for number three? Maybe a girl, this time."

Alec snorted while Magnus erupted into peals of laughter. "You're ridiculous."

"But you love me."

"But I love you," Alec agreed. 

And maybe somewhere out there, a magical stork winged its way to towards them with the promise of a new addition to their happy family. 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The End. 
> 
> Thanks for reading and commenting, I hope you guys had as much fun reading as I had writing this. 
> 
> XOXO


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